


Demons

by ShayTheHawk



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: AvaLance, F/F, Nyssara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-01-06 02:29:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18379097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayTheHawk/pseuds/ShayTheHawk
Summary: Nyssa has gotten herself addicted to Lazarus water and has taken the throne of the Demon's Head in a new rendition of the League of Assassins. She is planning something and it is up to Sara to stop her and get her soul back.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> ***Italics in quotes is speech in another language.  
> ***Italics not in quotes are thoughts, which will be indicated in the text as well.
> 
> Note: There will be many references from my other Nyssara story "Rescued," so if you haven't read that, some of the references to the past won't make as much of sense as it would if you have read "Rescued."

Nyssa, Thea and Roy are off hunting for the remaining Lazarus Pits. All was going well. They only have one left. Nyssa feels weird. She doesn't know what she'll do when all of the Pits are taken care of. She always has a mission or some type of goal and as she lays in her hotel bed, she contemplates what she should do when this is all over:

_Should I become a freelance vigilante? Or become a part of Oliver's crusade? Would they even want that? I feel that they might not take joy in my presence. I suppose if they invite me, I'd consider taking the offer favorably, but I highly doubt they would ask. Sure, I've helped them here and there, but only when it was necessary._

_I am at a loss. I've never had to think about my life in this way before. I've always had a mission. Should I...become domesticated? Becoming a normal person...I suppose that's an idea...I would need a real job. What am I qualified for other than teaching people how to fight and kill? I suppose I could also teach people one of the 22 languages I am fluent in...I'm sure Felicity could forge me some credentials for that._

Nyssa's thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door.

It's Roy and Thea. They are ready to venture to the last Pit.

When they arrive, Nyssa enters the building first, for she knows how to sense League booby traps. She locates the room where the Pit is. She approaches the Pit slowly and looks deep into the water at her reflection.

Suddenly, from behind, she is pushed into the Pit.

She emerges from the bubbling waters to find no one. Once realizing that she is soaked head to toe in Lazarus water, she panics. She has never been submerged fully in a Pit before because being soaked is dangerous for the soul.

She feels the power flow through her like electricity and for a moment, she enjoys it.

Thea and Roy run in and stop dead in their tracks when they see Nyssa standing thigh-deep in the Pit, dripping its mystical glory.

"Nyssa, what are you doing?" Thea asks, looking extremely frightened by the sight.

Nyssa is frozen. She wants desperately to leave the Pit, but the power is so intoxicating that she doesn't move.

"I fell," she says as she snaps out of her daze.

"Get out of there. Quick, we have get that crap off of you," Roy says as he offers his hand to Nyssa.

Nyssa takes his hand and is helped out.

"Are you ok?" Thea asks. "You don't feel blood-lusty or anything right? Or is that just when you are brought back from death?"

"I'm fine," she says as Thea and Roy help dry her off.

"How did you fall in?" Roy asks.

"It must've been another trap that I missed..." she says.

Nyssa doesn't know for sure if it was a trap. It doesn't make sense to her that there'd be a trap that pushes you  _into_ the Pit. But no one is here, so she doesn't know what else it could've been.

Roy clears his throat. "You should probably take those clothes off...I'll take care of destroying the Pit," he says as he starts to walk towards it.

Nyssa snatches his arm.

"Nyssa?" He says confused. "I didn't mean to offend..."

"Give me the potion," she says blankly.

"Why?" He asks as he and Thea give each other a look.

Nyssa lunges at him for the potion. Roy was quick enough to react and he tosses the potion to Thea.

"Get it to the Pit!" Roy shouts at Thea.

Thea tries running past Nyssa as Roy tries restraining her.

Nyssa escapes Roy's grasp as she goes for Thea.

Nyssa rips the potion from her hands and Thea grabs her wrists. Roy comes from behind and holds her arms.

"Nyssa, I know what you're feeling," Thea says. "The power feels really good, I know. The Pit is calling your name, pulling you back to it like a magnet. You have to fight it. I know you don't want to be this."

With every second, Nyssa's skin absorbs a plethora of Lazarus particles into her body. It's immense power strengthens her with every passing moment. Not even Roy and Thea can hold her any longer.

She tears them off of her and then shoves the potion into her cleavage so she can fight them.

Suddenly, a cloaked figure comes out to aid Nyssa in the battle.

They knock Roy and Thea unconscious with ease.

The figure kneels and looks up at Nyssa.

"We've been waiting."


	2. The Call

"Hello?" Felicity answers her phone  
"Felicity. I need your help," Roy begs in a hushed tone.  
Felicity turns to her computer. "What's up?"  
"Nyssa. She's unhinged. She took Thea and me. We're locked in a cage," he whispers.  
"Oh my god. Hold on, I'm tracking your phone."  
"Hurry. They're coming ba—" he cuts out.  
"Roy! Roy? Shit. They? Who's they?" The call is dropped.  
Felicity taps on her computer to finds where they are.  
~A week later~  
"We can't beat her this way..." Laurel says to Dinah.  
"It's like our screams pass right through her."  
"It's that damn water. It makes her invincible." Renee says, frustrated.  
"She's been bathing in it constantly. There's only one other thing I can think to do," Felicity says through the coms.  
"I'll take anything at this point," Renee says.  
"Fall back. We have to call Sara."  
"What? Why?" Laurel asks.  
"Because Sara is the only person Nyssa has ever cared about. She's our hope in getting through to her," Felicity says. "She's too far gone for us to fight her. It's time to call in the big guns. And I don't mean Sara's arms, although those should be considered guns."  
~20 minutes later~  
"You're so cute," Ava says.  
"Call me cute again, Sharpe, and there will be consequences," Sara says as she turns around from looking in the mirror.  
"Why would there be consequences for telling the truth?"  
"Ugh. You love to push my buttons."  
"Those aren't the only buttons I like to push," Ava says smirking and leaning in for a kiss.  
"I see why your last name is "sharp," she says before kissing her.  
Their shared moment of bliss is interrupted by Sara's cellphone.  
Ava pulls away. "Dammit."  
Sara looks at the phone. "Felicity?" she says as she answers the call.  
"Hi, Sara. Long time no see. I mean I don't see you right now but you know what I mean. We have an issue here that we can't deal with. I think you are our best hope here."  
"Um, I can send a couple of the Legends over to help."  
"No, I mean, you, Sara, are our best hope. It's Nyssa."  
Sara's expression hardens as she glances at Ava. "What about her?"  
"Well, the cliff notes version of the story would be: there are other Lazarus Pits out there and Nyssa was tricked into using one and now she's addicted to using it and she's the new Ra's of this new League and we can't stop her."  
"Oh my god. And you think I can? We haven't seen each other in years."  
"You're the only person she has ever cared about and you know it, Sara. I know you're with that time lady now but can you just talk to her? Maybe it will snap her out of this."  
Sara clenches her jaw and exhales. "Yeah fine, I'll go. Send me the coordinates."  
"I already sent them. Thank you, Sara."  
"Don't thank me just yet. I might not even be able to do anything."  
"Thanks for trying then."  
"Yeah, no problem," Sara says as she hangs up the phone.  
"Where are you going?" Ava asks.  
"I have to do something that you won't like..."  
"What would that be?" Ava asks as she raises her brows.  
"I have to go talk down my ex from being addicted to a soul-sucking pit of mystical water."  
"What? I thought the Lazarus Pit was destroyed after you were resurrected."  
"Yeah. She destroyed it after she saw what I became. But there are other Pits. Somehow she got addicted to one and I think I'm the only one who has a chance at talking her down."  
"Wait, the records say that Nyssa al Ghul destroyed the Pit. You and the Daughter of the Demon were..?"  
"Yeah...I thought you knew that?"  
"No. Your records don't really talk about your—," she clears her throat, "—romantic entanglements."  
"Right...well yeah. Um, well as you know, she was raised as an assassin. She had no friends or any touch with emotion until I taught her," Sara sighs. "I think I'm the only person she has ever cared about. I'm the only one that can remind her of herself. She's not evil, she's just...dismantled. She never wanted to be like her father. She never wanted to be immortalized by the Pit. She avoided it at all costs so I know that whoever I'm about to meet is not her. Just because I stopped loving her doesn't mean I stopped caring about her. I need to save her," she says.  
Ava sighs. "Dammit. I love that you're so caring, but I also sometimes hate it."  
"I know this is awkward. Trust me, it's going to be even more awkward for me. But you have to trust me ok? I might have to say things to her I don't mean and bring up our past together but you have to trust me that I don't mean any of it."  
"Should I come with you?"  
Sara packs her bag. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want there to be anything that could make her angry. I need her trust, just like I need yours."  
Ava sighs. "You're right. It's not that I don't trust you it's just..."  
"You know that I've cheated before...It all makes sense now," Sara says as she turns to Ava. "Look, that was young me, ok. I was stupid, weak, naive, and did I mention stupid? I was a completely different person back then and I would never do that to you, ok?"  
"Wait, you've cheated before?"  
"Oh shit. Look, we can talk about my adolescent idiocy some other time, because I gotta go save a woman from losing her soul."  
Ava clenches her jaw then let's put a sigh. "You are so lucky you're cute," she says trying to lighten the mood.  
"Consequences, Sharpe," she says slightly annoyed, "I love you. I'll be back before you know it," she says as she kisses Ava goodbye.  
"Love you, too," Ava says as she turns and walks away.


	3. Reunion

Sara makes her way to the coordinates where Felicity sent her. She knows to approach carefully because if Nyssa has a new League, there will be scouts.

Her heart is racing uncontrollably as she thinks about seeing Nyssa again. She had imagined going to see her again many times but never followed through. She wishes that she had gone, because then maybe Nyssa wouldn't be in this situation. But if she would've gone, she might not be with Ava. Maybe things would've all been different...

Sara doesn't know what to do. Does she sneak in? Or does she get caught by the scouts and get led to Nyssa. She thinks that's easier than guessing where she is.

Sara steps out from the shadows to gain the attention of a scout. For some reason, they do not see her...

_These guys are such noobs. How do they not see me?_

Sara walks in closer and then finally they raise their swords to her.

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"I am Ta-er al-Sahfer. I was a member of the League from Nanda Parbat."_

The man seems surprised that this beautiful blonde woman was an assassin.

_"I must take you to the Head."_

_"Please do."_

Sara is led through the halls of the new stronghold by three members until they stop outside of a room.

Two members stay with Sara while the other enters the room to announce the trespasser.

He returns and leads Sara in what can only be described as the throne room.

Nyssa sits in her throne with two women dressed in League attire standing at her sides. Sara notices that Nyssa's long hair had been cut short.

"I knew they would call you," Nyssa says as she stands up slowly, her robes falling gently.

"Nyssa, what happened to you?"

Nyssa slowly walks to Sara with her face stone cold. She leans over to whisper something in Sara's ear.

"It's Ra's al Ghul, to you," she growls. She steps back. "You will kneel before me."

Nyssa waits for Sara to kneel, but she doesn't waver.

"I like the new hair. It suits you."

Nyssa draws her sword and points it at Sara's chest. "I said to kneel!" she yells with fire in her eyes.

"Nyssa, this isn't you," Sara says.

Nyssa gives her scouts a nod. They go to kick the backs of Sara's knees and push down on her shoulders so she would kneel.

"You won't defy me again, Ta-er al-Sahfer," she snarls.

"Is this any way to treat your Belovèd?"

Nyssa scoffs. "You are not my Belovèd," she says as she turns to walk back to her throne.

"I'm not? Do you still have the heart I made you?"

Nyssa stops in her tracks, but does not turn around.

"The heart I carved you as a token of my love for you. My heart that you said you'd keep inside your arm forever and always? How can you say I am not your belovèd when you hold my heart underneath your skin."

Nyssa turns slowly. "You're right."

Sara smiles, thinking that she might've made Nyssa remember.

Nyssa unsheathes a small blade and pushes her sleeve up to her elbow. She cuts deep into her forearm. She sheaths her knife and digs her fingers into the wound.

"Nyssa, stop!" Sara pleas.

Sara tries to get up from the ground but the members hold her down. It only takes a few seconds before Sara takes the upper hand and breaks free from their grasps. They fight her for a moment, but inevitably get disarmed and knocked unconscious by the White Canary.

Nyssa holds the small wooden carving in her bloody hand as blood drips onto the floor. Sara stares at it in awe as Nyssa tosses it onto the floor in front of Sara's feet.

Nyssa smirks softly as she turns back to walk to her throne. She sits in her chair and then dips her bloody arm into a small reservoir of Lazarus water next to her.

Sara doesn't know how to go about this. Should she act deeply hurt so she can hopefully gain access to Nyssa's emotions? Or try talking with her some more?

"What did I do to be exiled from your heart? I thought you said I would be a part of it forever. Was that a lie?" Sara starts.

"What did you do? Are you so daft? You and I were nothing but distractions to one another. You were just a toy that I used to make myself feel better. Did you actually think that I loved you?"

Sara was actually kind of hurt by that. Sara did love her and she knows Nyssa loved her back. She knows that this is just a ploy to hurt her.

"I didn't know that Lazarus water made people liars," Sara says. "Who are you trying to convince? Me, or yourself?"

Some members enter the room, ready to fight Sara, but Nyssa halts them with her hand. Her attention reverts back to Sara.

"Ok. Humor me. If I actually loved you, and vice versa, why did you leave? Hm? You get your soul back from oblivion and I get no word of it until months after the fact and then you disappear for years. Valid attempt, Ta-er al-Sahfer, but you do not have me fooled."

"You told me to leave! You said, and I quote, 'If you love me, you will leave this place far behind and live a life unburdened by your past.' I have played that moment over and over in my head, Nyssa. Don't you  _dare_ say that I just abandoned you."

"That is all in the past. I do not care anymore. The Lazarus water has cleared my mind of all trivial nonsense such as that."

"Love is not trivial, Nyssa. I love you and no amount of words will change that. Please, I want my Nyssa back, not this thing that you claim to be now."

"I do not care what you want, nor do I care about returning to my previous state of mind. I am finally who I was destined to be."

"You were destined for greater things than to become a sad replica of your asshole of a father," Sara says angrily.

"My father did what he needed to do to prepare me for the The Demon's Head."

"Oh, sure," Sara starts in a sarcastic tone. "Having you raped by random men was totally a part of preparing you for the Head. Yeah, right."

Nyssa is silent for a moment. She recalls the time of the conversion therapies her father had attempted all those years ago.

"He was only trying to help me," Nyssa says. "I needed to be prepared to produce an heir."

"Stop making excuses for him. What he did to you caused you years of trauma. Don't pretend that it didn't, because I saw it. I was there for you, just as I am now."

"You are persistent. Although, that doesn't surprise me. You were always quite annoying that way. Now, I will say this once and only once. Leave here now, or I will have no choice but to kill you."

Sara almost runs out of ideas, but then thinks of something that could maybe work.

"I challenge you to a duel," Sara says. "If I win, you release Thea and Roy and you come back with me. If you win, I'll leave and never come back."

Nyssa smirks in a sinister manner. "You think that you can beat  _me_ in a duel? Even without the Lazarus water I was far stronger and more skilled than you."

"That was then. This is now. You haven't seen me fight for years."

"Your confidence is unprecedented, but I accept your challenge."

Sara doesn't know for sure if that was a good idea. Nyssa was always the better fighter and she does have the upper-hand being boosted by the Lazarus water, but Sara has developed different skills since she was with the League and perhaps, that could throw Nyssa off during battle. Sara hopes that Nyssa's fighting style hasn't changed because then she could actually be on equal footing as her. Only time will tell...


	4. The Duel

Nyssa leads Sara to the place where her father and Oliver Queen once dueled all those years ago. It was where Nyssa witnessed Oliver get sliced and thrown off the cliff. Nyssa replays that moment in her mind, hoping to replicate such a dramatic finish in their duel.

Sara's heart is pounding. She realizes now how much of a mistake this is.

"The terms of this duel are simple," Nyssa starts. "The first to mortally wound the other is the victor. One may forfeit with the uttering of a safe word. My initiates have Lazarus water ready for when you lose."

"I don't want Lazarus water," Sara says. "I would rather bleed out than rely on some cursed water to heal me. I'd rather die a noble death than live a cowardly one."

Nyssa ignores Sara's not-so-subtle blow to her ego. "As the challenger, I will give you the honor of choosing the safe word and choosing your weapon first."

"Alright. The safe word is 'Aunt'"

Sara watches to see if Nyssa reacts. That was the safe word they used to use  all those years ago for sex, sparring, and as a signal to stop displays of affection if someone was near. It was their inside joke.

Nyssa appears to be unfazed. "Choose your weapon," she says.

Sara is tempted to use a bo staff, but she knows that she needs to step up her game to beat this Lazarus Nyssa. Sara picks dual wield swords, instead.

Nyssa recalls her father and Oliver's dual. Oliver chose swords just like the ones Sara has. Her father chose not to start with a weapon and he still won. Nyssa is confident that she is strong enough to start with no weapon as well.

"What's your weapon?" Sara asks.

Nyssa ignores her and walks to the center. Her initiates follow and wait for a command.

" _I_ am my choice of weapon," she says as she extends her arms for her initiates to take her robes.

"Ego alert," Sara mumbles to herself.

"I'll even give you the advantage by not receiving my next dosage."

Nyssa turns to her initiate who has a syringe in her hand. " _Save it for after. This won't take long anyhow_ ," she says as she turns back to Sara.

"Wait. You're injecting that shit?" Sara asks.

"I find it to me more effective to inject it straight into the bloodstream rather than soaking it in through the skin."

"Nyssa..." Sara says with sadness. "You're sick, Nyssa. Don't you hear yourself? You're an addict..."

"I am not an addict. 'Addict' is a word to use for someone who is overusing something harmful."

"Harmful? Nyssa, that stuff literally takes a part of your soul every time you use it. That seems very harmful if you ask me."

"A fine price to pay for immortality and power."

"That's not what you told me all those years ago. You valued the soul more than the body or the mind."

"Yes. I did. I was naive and foolish to think that. The body is the vessel in which the soul and mind reside. It is better to value the body above all. With the water, I will live hundreds of years."

"With your soul, you can live forever. The soul lives on after the death of the body. I would know. My body was dead for 3 whole months."

"But where? In limbo? In heaven or hell? I don't wish to be transported to a new dimension. I wish to stay here and reign."

Sara walks to Nyssa to become face to face. "You're afraid. You're afraid to die."

"Ridiculous notion," she snarls.

"You are and that's ok. But Nyssa, if you live your whole life fearing death, you can't live your life to the fullest. What about the future we used to fantasize together? It doesn't have to be a fantasy. We could be together, have our own house, have a daughter. What was the name you wanted for our daughter?"

"I don't need to fantasize about a child. I already have one on the way."

"Wait. You're pregnant?"

Nyssa smirks.

"No fucking way you are pregnant," Sara says skeptically.

"I don't need to be. I will have an heir with my blood. That's all that matters."

"A surrogate?"

"You could say that," she smirks.

"Nyssa, I—"

"Enough stalling, Ta-er al-Sahfer. Our duel starts now. Raise your blades."

Sara takes a deep breath and raises her swords. "Nyssa, we don't have to do thi—"

Nyssa cuts her off and the fight begins.

Sara is very defensive to combat Nyssa's advances. Sara watches and feels for Nyssa's rhythm and footwork. It's very similar to her old style so Sara feels that she can sneak in a blade from underneath. She attempts it, but Nyssa catches the blade in her hand and rips it from Sara's grasp.

They both now have a sword. As Nyssa's blade drips with her own blood, Sara's blade becomes spattered with red every time they clang together.

Sara has adapted to Nyssa's fight style and now she feels that she can turn to offense. She changes her stance and starts to push Nyssa back.

Nyssa adapts to Sara's change. Nyssa is a little surprised that Sara has changed her fight style. She actually enjoys the change. It presents a new challenge for her.

The two are on equal ground for a few minutes before Sara missteps for a fraction of a second, allowing for Nyssa's heightened senses to pick up on it, and take advantage of it within the rest of the second.

Nyssa disarms Sara.

Sara breathes heavily as Nyssa points the blade at Sara's chest.

"I thought I taught you better," Nyssa taunts.

Sara attempts to swerve out of the way, but Nyssa catches her and plunges the sword clean through Sara's chest.

Sara's eyes bulge with shock as blood starts to pour out of her mouth.

Nyssa watches the life drain from her eyes for a moment then uses her foot to push Sara's body from the blade. Sara falls to the ground as she gasps for air, only to receive blood in her lungs.

Nyssa walks to her initiates. She hands them her blade.

" _Clean my blades. Heal her and send her away,"_ she commands as she starts to walk back to the stronghold.

One of her initiates follows close behind. _"Ra's, would you like your dose now?"_

Nyssa gestures for her to walk beside her. She takes the syringe and injects the water into her arm. She moans as it courses through her veins.

They enter the stronghold and Nyssa resumes her position on her throne.

Another woman walks in and bows to Nyssa.

Nyssa stands. _"Hello, Sensei. How is my child?"_

The woman stands face to face with Nyssa and responds. _"It is in good health as far as we know. It kicks every so often."_

_"And has my sister stopped trying to abort it?"_

_"No, she still attempts it. But she is so heavily drugged and guarded that her attempts still fail. Should we chain her down for the Heir's safety?"_

_"No, I shall have a word with her. Thank you, Shiva."_

Shiva nods. _"I heard rumor that you had a duel with a previous student."_

_"Yes. She came here in attempt to dismantle me from my rightful place as Head."_

_"Did she get what she deserved for such an offense?"_

_"A blade through the chest."_

_"Did she show great skill at least?"_

_"She is very skilled, but her emotions cloud her judgement. She longs for my soul."_

_"An assassin with a heart...That never works, does it?"_

Nyssa smiles. _"No truer words have been uttered."_


	5. Aftermath

Sara wakes in a dark alleyway behind a dumpster. As her vision clears, she examines her surroundings and brings herself to stand.

"What the fuck. Did they really discard me by a dumpster?" Sara whispers to herself.

She looks down at the tear in her shirt and touches the pink mark on her chest where she was impaled.

_She missed my heart by a few centimeters._

"Awwww. She does still care," she says sarcastically to herself.

_I told her I didn't want the Lazarus water, and she gave it to me anyways. Great. Now I have to deal with_ _some of_ _the symptoms again._

_How am I meant to save her from this? The Nyssa I know is gone. The rest of her soul is probably in limbo or something. I wonder if Constantine could get the missing parts of her soul back. Would Nyssa's body reject the soul fragments because of the Lazarus water? I don't see how that would work. She has to be free of the water before the fragments can return_.

_So how the hell am I going to get Nyssa off that shit? The only thing I can think of is to put her in containment on the Waverider until her body is free of the Lazarus. Seems like a good plan except for one problem: How the hell am I going to get her there?_

Sara walks out from the alley and looks around. She has no idea where she is. She checks her pocket for her phone and finds that the battery is dead.

She finds where people are talking to one another to determine the language.

_Italian? Shit. I don't know much Italian. I understood like 2 of those words. I don't think I know the word for phone. Teléfono? No, that's Spanish, idiot. Spanish and Italian are kinda similar though, right? Maybe they'll understand?_

Sara walks up to a dark-haired woman and points at her phone.

"Uh. Telefono....morto...uhhh shit I don't know the word for help."

The woman smiles. "Your phone's dead and you would like to use mine?" she asks.

"You speak English. So I made a fool out of myself for nothing."

"Not for nothing," she says. "It was cute," she says smiling.

Sara sighs.

"By the way, the word for help is aiuto. In case you need it."

"Thanks."

"Why are you here with a dead phone and little knowledge of the language? Tourist?"

"No. I actually have no idea where 'here' is. Where are we?"

"We're in Lugano, Switzerland. Why don't you know where you are? Are you okay?"

"I mean to sum things up, I was kinda unconscious and just left here with a dead phone so I'd give that a 3 out of ten. Could be worse."

"Oh yes. Pardon me. I forgot that you needed my cell phone," she says as she pulls her phone out. She unlocks it, brings up the dialer, and hands it to Sara. "No funny business. I'm watching you," she says as she walks a small distance away.

_Thank god I memorized some phone numbers._

She dials Felicity's number and she answers.

"Sara? You're alive! That's great! We've had radio silence from you for hours. What happened?"

"I can't really talk about it right now," Sara says as she glances at the woman. "Can you call Gideon to come get me?"

"Yeah. I've got your coordinates."

"Thanks."

The call ends and Sara hands the phone back to the woman.

"Thank you so much," Sara says.

"It was no problem."

The woman looks at Sara's torn shirt.

"I didn't catch your name," Sara tries to avert her attention.

"I didn't throw it," she says winking at Sara then chuckling.

Sara chuckles a bit too.

"People call me Zee," she says.

"Ha, that's funny. My friend's nickname is Z, too."

Zee's expression shifts. "Sara, I must confess something to you."

_I never told this woman my name. She knows me? Or something sketchy is going on._

Zee continues. "I know who you are. I am a friend of John Constantine."

Sara tenses. "How do you..."

"I sense his essence within you."

Sara grimaces at that sentence. "How do you know Constantine?"

"He taught me Demonology when I was younger."

"So you know magic then?"

"Well, not quite in the same way as Johnny. He is a human who practices the Mystic Arts. I, however, am a sorceress. I was born with magic."

Sara's eyebrows raise. "Well, damn."

"I'm sorry for deceiving you...and draining your cell phone battery..."

"Wait. You did that?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I was a bit nervous to meet you, so I kinda pulled some strings to get you to come to me."

"Why are you nervous?"

"Well, you are quite intimidating for a human. A time captain and ex-League member. Not to mention you have been dead on multiple occasions and yet you live with your soul intact."

"Why did you need to get to me then? Do you need to talk to John?"

"I've been trying to find him for a while now, but it's hard for me to track people throughout time."

"Well, since you drained my phone battery, can you charge it back? I can call him. Not that he'll answer."

Zee snaps her fingers and suddenly, there are vibrations coming from Sara's pocket. She takes it out and looks at all the new notifications.

"You don't need to use incantations?" Sara asks amazed.

"Not for simple things like that, no."

"Do you need the snap?"

She chuckles. "No. I do stuff like that out of habit. I perform in a magic show in Gotham."

"And let me guess. You use real magic."

"I know the tricks of the trade, but I'll admit, I do use magic sometimes. Keeps people coming back."

"That's smart."

"Well, I give my father credit for that. He's the one who started a magic show back in the day. I'm just following his lead."

"Very cool. Now shall we see if John actually answers," Sara says as she dials Johns number and waits for an answer. Of course he doesn't answer so she ends the call.

"Honestly, John. What's the point of a phone if you  _never answer it_?" Sara says to the phone.

Sara turns to Zee. "Why is it you need John anyway? If he's a human and you're a sorceress, not to assume, but wouldn't that mean you're more powerful than him?"

"John is the expert of Demonology. I'm a bit out of practice with it. I need his help. My father is missing and I'm certain it was a demon."

"Damn. Well, I will bring you back to the Waverider with me. Maybe he's there."

"Thank you. I've never been so worried about my father before. He is one of the most powerful people I know. I don't know what to do."

"I'm in a similar spot," Sara says. "I mean a person I care about is lost but the demon that has her is herself. Have you heard of Lazarus water?"

She sighs. "Yes, unfortunately."

"My friend has been abusing it and I don't know how to get her to stop. I just need to get her to the Waverider so I can contain her and get her sober but I have no way to do that," Sara says. "Unless...you help me. You're a sorceress. Can you incapacitate her with your magic?"

"Lazarus water is also mystical. I'm not sure how it will react, but I can try."

"We'll save our people from their demons, Zee. Together."


	6. The Heir

Nyssa is training with some new League initiates. Her bloodlust has taken a toll on the other members. In her anger, she has killed dozens of them for minor or non-existent reasons.

The training is interrupted by one of Nyssa's servants.

_"Ra's, we need your presence in the dungeon. The Heir will be arriving soon."_

Nyssa smiles softly. _"My sister is in labor?"_

_"Yes. You said that you'd like to be there for the birth."_

_"Indeed,"_ she says as she turns to the initiates. _"Shiva can carry on with the training. I shall return."_

Nyssa walks with the servant following close behind.

_"How many centimeters?"_ Nyssa asks.

_"The midwife said she was 9 centimeters when I left, my liege,"_ he says.

_"Everything is going to plan?"_

_"Yes."_

They arrive at Talia's cell where she is chained in a cot in birthing position with two midwives and 6 guards in the room with her.

Talia is chained down and slightly drugged because of her previous attempts to escape and abort the fetus.

Talia has been dreading this moment. She knows that Nyssa will take her child from her and leave her to rot.

Talia was planning to be the next Head before Nyssa ascended. She had gotten herself pregnant by "someone worthy of her womb" so that she had an Heir. She refuses to tell Nyssa who the father is, but Nyssa doesn't mind much as long as this mystery man doesn't interfere. Talia admitted that the father doesn't even know he's a father...or even that he had sex with her. If Nyssa was in her right mind, she would've tortured Talia for raping someone, but alas, Nyssa has become lenient on the subject and focuses on other matters.

Nyssa watches intensely as the midwives assist Talia. Although she doesn't show it, she is excited to have a child. She's excited to bring up the next Heir to the Demon.

_"Ten centimeters. Talia, it is time for you to push_ _,"_ one of the midwives say.

Talia just glares at Nyssa. "Make me."

Nyssa knows that her sister is just trying provoke her. "You cannot keep my child in there forever."

"Stop calling it yours. Just because you are a homosexual that refuses to have children of your own, doesn't entitle you take to mine from me."

"My sexual orientation has nothing to do with this. This is just convenience at its finest. This child is basically falling into my lap so why not take it?"

"It is not yours to take."

Nyssa unsheathes a small blade and places it on her throat. "You will push, or I will cut it out of you. I was planning on keeping you alive for the milk, but it is not a necessity," she growls.

"You won't kill your own blood. What if something were to happen to the Heir? You won't have anyone to make a new one for you."

"That does not worry me, sister. Nothing will happen it. Not under my care. Now, I will not command again. Push," says still holding the knife to her neck.

"No."

Nyssa removes the knife and hands it to one of the midwives. "Do you know how to perform a cesarean section?"

They shake their heads no.

"Useless. I will do it myself."

"Your Highness. I do not recommend that."

"I do not care if Talia dies."

"Ra's, the baby will come regardless of if she pushes or not. We must give it time. She is only trying to anger you."

"Yes. Of course." Nyssa sheaths her knife.

"Would you advise against giving her a sedative?"

"No. That would not harm the child."

"Actually. On second thought, keep her awake. She will watch as I take my child from her."

Talia clenches her jaw. She bares the pain that the baby is giving her.

Nyssa strokes her sister's hair behind her ear. "You don't need to worry. You know I will take good care of it."

Talia jerks her face away from Nyssa's hand and continues to clench her jaw.

The midwife looks between Talia's legs. "It is coming. I see the head."

Nyssa walks over behind the midwife and watches with anticipation. The midwife helps the baby exit safely, while Talia averts her eyes away from everyone. The baby cries as it gasps it's first breath of air.

Nyssa catches sight of the baby's genitalia. "A boy," she whispers to herself.

The midwives clean him off, cut the umbilical cord, and hands him to Nyssa. The baby stops crying as he is cradled in her arms. For a moment, Nyssa feels for this baby, but swiftly pushes the feeling away.

"All hail the Heir to the Demon," Nyssa says.

"All hail the Heir to the Demon," everyone except Talia chants in unison.

The midwife cleans Talia. "What shall his name be?" she asks.

Nyssa was thrown off by this question, because she never contemplated a name for her son. "I will think of one soon. For now, he is just the Heir."

"Yes, Ra's. Have you decided if you'd like him to breastfeed?"

Nyssa looks at Talia, who is still looking away in anger.

"Keep her chained. She isn't allowed to hold him, but he will drink from her under my supervision,"

"As you wish."

They help sit Talia up in her weakened state and undo her top gown. They hold the baby to her breast and he drinks. Talia continues to look away. He drinks for a minute or so.

"Alright. That is enough. Give him to me," Nyssa commands.

They pry him away and hand him to Nyssa. She walks away with him and heads back up to where the initiates are training. As she enters. Everyone stops their training and bows to her.

_"All hail the Heir to the Demon,"_ Nyssa chants.

_"All hail the Heir to the Demon!"_ they all chant back.

Shiva walks up to Nyssa. _"He is a fine specimen, Ra's."_

_"Yes, I know."_

_"Your plans are all falling into place."_

_"Indeed they are."_

_"What have you named him?"_

_"He hasn't got a name yet. Perhaps you can help me think of one for him."_

_"I would be honored."_


	7. The Heist

Sara leads Zee into the Waverider.

"Gideon, is John on board?" Sara asks.

"Yes, Captain. Shall I call him in?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Nate walks in. He drops the book in his hand at the sight of Zee.

"Oh my god. You're Zatanna Zatara!"

Zee laughs. "I am."

"I've been a fan of you forever. I went to Gotham once to see your show."

"I'm surprised you recognized me without my magician outfit," she laughs. "Most people don't."

"Well," he clears his throat. "I'll admit, I was kind of obsessed with you for a couple years. I was so fascinated by how you did your tricks. I've never been able to figure some of them out."

Sara butts in. "You can nerd over her later. We've got pressing matters to deal with."

Nate retrieves his book from the ground. "What happened?"

"I need to get everyone in here to catch everyone up. Gideon, call everyone here."

"Yes, Captain. Shall I also call Director Sharpe?"

"No. She doesn't need to be involved with this. It has nothing to do with time. This is my mess."

"Yes, Captain."

The team shuffles in one by one. Constantine is the last one to enter.   
Zatanna smiles when she sees him.

"Hi, Johnny," she says.

It takes a moment for John to realize who she is.

"Zatanna? No bloody way that's you."

"In the flesh."

John walks up to her. "But you're all grown up now."

Zatanna laughs. "Well, 13 years tends to do that to a 12-year-old, Johnny."

"Has it really been that long?"

Sara claps her hands together. "Sorry to break up this reunion, but we got work to do."

"Why are you here?" John asks Zatanna while ignoring Sara.

"I need your help, Johnny," Zatanna starts. "It's my father. I think he was taken by a demon."

"Which one?"

"I...don't know. I haven't practiced Demonology since you were teaching me..."

"Why do you think it was a demon?"

"I tried tracking my father's essence. I for some reason couldn't teleport to him so I tried connecting telepathically. All I heard was 'Demon' before our link disconnected."

"It got disconnected? How is that possible?"

"I didn't think it was. At least, not with me and my father."

"Well, I can think of two things. Either this demon is also telepathic and blocked his mind from you, or your father cut you off himself."

"Do you know of demon that can do that?"

"So many of them...I don't even know where to start."

Sara interjects. "Zatanna, we will help you with your demon problem, but can you help me with my problem really quick? It won't take long. I promise."

"Sure. You needed me to incapacitate your friend or something?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you could teleport in there, grab her, and teleport her into our holding cell."

"That's all?"

"Yeah. If we contain her here long enough, the Lazarus will leave her system and she can get back to normal."

"Sure. Do you have something of hers? I need to trace her essence since I don't know her."

Sara takes a moment to think. "I think I have something that will work. Wait here," Sara says as she leaves.

She makes her way to her room, opens a false back in her wardrobe, and pulls out a dusty antique box. The box has an engraving on the top that says "For My Beautiful Bird." Sara unclasps it and opens it to reveal a beautifully handcrafted dagger. She picks it up out of the box and stares at herself in the metal of the blade.

She smiles softly at herself as she remembers the moment Nyssa gave it to her for one of their anniversaries.

_Only in the League of Assassins would lovers give each other weapons as anniversary gifts. Well, I guess only us. I hope this has enough of her essence. I'm not sure if Nyssa got this for me or if she owned it before she gave it to me. I guess we'll find out._

Sara places the dagger back into the box and closes it. She rushes back to the others.

She shows Zatanna the dagger. "Will this work?"

Zatanna holds the dagger and closes her eyes for a moment.

"I sense three essences on this. Yours and two others."

"Crap. One is probably the guy who made it. It's handcrafted."

Zatanna clutches the dagger tighter. 

"This friend of yours isn't really a friend, is she?"

Sara clears her throat as she looks at the others. "What makes you say that?"

Zatanna hands the dagger back to Sara. "Let's just say one of the essences connects to yours very strongly."

Mick laughs and Sara shoots him a dirty look.

"So can you teleport to her?" Sara asks?

"I can. Can you show me where the holding cell is?"

"Yeah, follow me."

Sara leads Zatanna to the holding cell. "So just teleport to her, grab her, teleport her in the cell, and well obviously then you should teleport out of there. Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Sara, this is childsplay. Teleportation was one of the first things I learned as a kid. It'll only take a few seconds."

"Ok," Sara sighs. "I suggest you do it as fast as possible."

"She won't even know what has happened to her until she's already in there. I'll be right back," Zatanna says as she snaps her fingers and disappears.

In one second, Zatanna teleports behind Nyssa. In the next second, she grabs her and teleports into the holding cell. In the third and final second, Zatanna teleports back next to Sara outside of the cell.

Nyssa turns around to reveal that she is holding a baby. He starts to cry.

Nyssa locks eyes with Sara.

"What is the meaning of this?" Nyssa growls.

Sara looks at the crying baby and leans over to Zatanna. "Can you teleport the baby out of there?"

Nyssa walks closer to the clear wall that separates her from them. "You will not touch my son!"

"Tropelet eht ybab ot em," Zatanna says. The baby disappears from Nyssa's arms and appears in Zatanna's.

Zatanna hands the crying baby to Sara. He stops crying and looks deep into Sara's eyes.

"Awww, he's adorable," Sara says as she locks eyes with him.

Nyssa lunges at the barrier. "I will torture you so slowly and make it so agonizingly painful that you'd beg for death," Nyssa snarls.

"No offense, Nyssa, but you can't do anything to me from in there," Sara says as she makes faces at the baby.

"Every prison has a weakness."

"Well, that is true for prisons in 2019. This cell is from the future."

"Every. Prison." Nyssa repeats. "I will take pleasure in watching the life drain from your eyes again. How are you feeling, by the way? That water must be bringing back some...familiar side effects," Nyssa smirks.

"I feel fine. And you will feel fine eventually, too. You'll thank me for this."

The baby coos at Sara. "Whose baby is this anyway?"

"He is my son. The Heir to the Demon."

"Yeah but where did he come from? You didn't give birth to him."

"It matters not. He is mine."

"Fine. Keep your secrets. At least tell me his name."

Nyssa still hadn't thought of a name for him. She thinks of a name that would bother Sara.

"His name is Damian. Named after the man who plunged an arrow through your sister."

Sara raises her eyebrows. "Is that supposed to piss me off? Because it's actually kind of flattering that you'd name him after a man from _my_ life. Look, you can sit here and pretend that you hate me and want me dead, but no matter how much Lazarus you inject, you and I still have a bond that you can't break. You care, Nyssa. I told you I didn't want to be revived and you did it anyways. You made sure that you didn't kill me instantly so that there was a window to heal me more effectively with the water. I know you, Nyssa. I can read you like a book even when parts of your soul are lost. Once that shit leaves your system, I'm going to find the other parts of you and bring them back to you. I promise."

"You seem confident in this plan of yours. Unfortunately for you, there is just one flaw."

"And what would that be?"

"This cell has a weakness that you didn't account for."

"What?"

In that moment, Nyssa vanishes in thin air. Seconds later, Damian also disappears.

"The cell isn't magic-proof! Fuck!" Sara yells as she hits the wall. "How the hell did she do that?"

Zatanna touches the clear wall of the cell and mutters one word.

"Father..."


	8. Giovanni

Sara turns to Zatanna.

"Your father did that?"

"I sensed his magic."

Sara pulls out her dagger and points it at Zatanna. "You're working for her?"

"No! I don't understand. My father said demon in our mind link. Your friend is not a demon. This doesn't make sense."

"She's a powerful figure whose title is Head of the Demon or the Demon's Head. Perhaps that's what you heard. Why is your father working for the League?"

Zatanna stares deep in thought. "I have no idea. He is a good man. I don't understand. He blocked my magic from his. Something is wrong with him, Sara. Something must have corrupted him or something, because that can't have been him."

Sara lowers her dagger. "Ok, we'll figure this out together, Zatanna. Look on the bright side. We know where your father is and our problems intertwine so we can work together on this. Can you teleport back to where you just were?"

"No. My dad blocked me out for some reason."

"Are you sure your dad wouldn't be helping Nyssa?"

"Yes. I know my father well. He has to be doing this for a reason. Perhaps he is being blackmailed somehow."

"What could Nyssa have that your father would want?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, we need to think of a plan to get in there."

Just then, Sara and the baby disappear suddenly. Sara is teleported into a cell in the League stronghold. Nyssa stands outside of the bars looking in with Damian in her arms.

"You thought you could interfere without consequence?" Nyssa says.

Sara feels a bit queasy from the teleportation, but she brushes it off.

"Nyssa, please."

"You should have walked away, Yellow Bird. Your arrogance has not gone unnoticed," she says sternly. "So, you have a sorcerer now? Unfortunate for you that you ended up with the wrong Zatara. Giovanni is one of the most powerful of his kind and you only have his inexperienced daughter. Do not even try to escape. This cell is magic-proof and canary-proof."

Nyssa turns to Giovanni, who stands just behind her. "You've done well. Now go and continue your search."

He gazes at Sara for a moment then teleports away.

"What have you done to make him follow your command?" Sara asks suspiciously.

"You are to stop asking questions immediately. I will be back for you later. My son takes priority," she says as she turns to walk away.

"Nyssa!" Sara shouts as Nyssa exits.

Sara immediately scans for weaknesses in the cell. Then, the silence is broken by a voice from down the corridor.

"Sara?"

Sara takes a moment to realize who it is.

"Thea? You're alive. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But Roy...he's in the cell next to me and he's hasn't responded to me for a few hours."

"Don't worry, Thea. He's probably sleeping."

"I hope so. Nyssa doesn't seem to care that we're dying in here. She barely feeds us."

"Look, I'm gonna get us out of here and I'm going to help Nyssa get better, alright? The Legends and Zatanna will think of something."

Just then, Giovanni appears in front of Sara's cell.

"Please, Miss Lance. I beg you not to interfere."

"You're a traitor. Your daughter thinks you're some sort of saint. Why are you working for Nyssa?"

"My loyalty to the Demon's Head is only temporary."

"Why?"

"She's using me to find certain artifacts. Once I retrieve them, I will get what I need from her."

"Artifacts?"

"Yes. I am to bring her the Soultaker Sword."

"What's so special about a sword?"

"This particular sword steals and captures the souls of those it kills. I'm not sure what she wants it for."

"And why are you retrieving it for her? What does she have over you?"

"My business is my business, but I assure you that I'd rather be on your side. I'll do anything I can to help you without angering Ra's, which isn't much these days."

"Can you please just teleport her back to the Waverider cell so we can help her get the Lazarus out of her?"

"Ra's has something I want. We have a deal and I'm afraid that if I do that, that deal will be broken."

"But if we get rid of the Lazarus and repair her soul, she will surely give you the thing you need. She is a good person. I know her."

"Yes. I can see that. Your link to her is very strong, but you see, the thing I need from her is only of her knowledge. A common side-affect of soul replacement could be memory-loss and I cannot risk the information to be lost."

"Can't you just read her mind or something?"

"I could, but unfortunately, Lazarus water affects the body and mind in ways that I cannot navigate. Believe me, I've tried that already."

"What could you possibly need from her that badly?"

"It is none of your business," he says defensively.

"Fine. Then can you at least try to convince Nyssa to let Roy and Thea go? They have no use to her now that she has captured me."

"I will mention it."

"Thanks."

"I could also put a pain dampening spell on you for when she tortures you, but you have to make it look convincing or she will know it was me."

"Yeah, sure," Sara says as she sits on the floor. "Thanks."

"I do what I can, Ms. Lance. And if I find out more information on her plans, I will let you know."

"Thanks. You should talk to Zatanna about all of this."

"I'd rather leave my daughter out of this. I don't want her interfering and then have Ra's command me to kill her or something."

"Then tell Zatanna that! She's going to keep trying to get to us, Giovanni."

Giovanni snaps. "Speak to her yourself. I cannot speak to her. It's for her own safety. Please tell her to not come here. Our paths can't cross and I've told you why," he says before disappearing.

Sara is confused as to what he meant by 'speak to her yourself.' Then it hit her. He opened the telepathic link to Zatanna.

_Zatanna_ _! Can you hear me?_ Sara thinks to herself, hoping it reaches Zatanna.

_"_ _Sara! What's happening? Why can I hear you?_ _"_ Sara hears in her mind.

_It's complicated. But you were right about your dad. He's only working for Nyssa because she has something he needs. He said not to interfere,_ _Zatanna_ _. He has to do everything that Nyssa says and he's afraid that she will order him to kill you. if you anger her._ Sara explains.

_"_ _What does Nyssa have over him?_ _"_

_I don't know. He wouldn't say. But he said he just has to collect some special artifacts for Nyssa, then he is free from her._

_"_ _What artifacts?_ _"_

_Um. He only mentioned a sword that steals souls._

_"_ _Soultaker?_ _"_

_Yeah._

_"_ _Well, that can't be good._ _"_

Just then, there's the sound of a door opening and closing. Nyssa appears in front of Sara's cell. Nyssa taps her knife on the metal bars.

"Get up."

"No."

Nyssa steps back, pulls her arm back, and throws her blade through the bars and into Sara's leg.

Sara doesn't really feel it. She looks up at Nyssa. Sara pulls the blade out and wipes the blood off.

"You know, there's this word called 'please' that you could say once in a while," Sara says.

"Get up."

"Let Roy and Thea go. You got me now to torture so let them go."

"You are not in the position to be making demands, Miss Lance."

"You can torture me all you want. I'll do whatever you want."

"I will not say it again."

"They are just a waste of space and food at this point. They don't serve any purpose to you."

Nyssa pulls out her set of keys and finds the one for Sara's cell. She opens the cell gate as she glares at Sara.

Nyssa takes her knife back from Sara's hands and sheaths it. She then takes a syringe from her pocket and swiftly injects Sara in the arm.

"You will regret defying me, Ta-er al-Sahfer," Nyssa says as she pull the syringe out.

"What the..." Sara says before her vision fades to black and her body falls to the ground.


	9. Soultaker

Sara's eyes flutter open as she starts to become conscious. Sara realizes that she is chained to a wall at her wrists, elbows, neck, forehead, chest, waist, thighs, knees, and ankles. Nyssa made it impossible for Sara to escape.

Nyssa stares at her as she comes to.

"Finally, you awaken."

"Nyssa...what are you doing?" Sara asks, slightly slurring her words.

"You are lucky. I have thought about torturing you, but alas, I realized that it would bring me no joy."

"Why?"

"I plunged a sword through your chest and watched the life drain from your eyes. I felt nothing then, I would feel nothing now."

"What are you doing with me then?"

"I know you've been talking with Giovanni."

"No I haven't."

"Do you take me as a fool?"

"I take you as someone I love."

Nyssa walks up to Sara and stares into her eyes. "You are the bane of my existence. Not even the Lazarus pit can rid me of your grasp on my soul. I am plagued by a disease that the Lazarus Pit cannot remedy."

"Love. You love me still. I knew it. Nyssa don't you see? It's a sign. Love is more powerful than anything, even the Lazarus Pit. Love is not a disease, it's power."

"I will remove you from my heart soon enough."

At that moment, Sara realizes what Nyssa was planning. "Soultaker."

Nyssa smiles. "You haven't spoken with Giovanni?"

"Nyssa. You want the Soultaker sword to what? Remove your own soul? Are you fucking crazy?"

"Soultaker is only the first step. The rest will unfold when the time comes, although, you won't be alive to see it."

"So you're going to kill yourself with Soultaker and be revived with the Pit? Then what? You'll just be a mindless monster like I was when I was revived."

Nyssa strokes Sara's hair. "You have no idea."

"Nyssa, don't do this. You don't have to remove your soul to stop loving me."

"Removing you from me is a requirement for a much larger goal. This is not about you."

"Then what's your big plan?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Because I love you."

"Even if that were true, it matters not."

Suddenly, Giovanni appears next to Nyssa.

"I have pleasing news, Ra's. I've located and obtained Soultaker," he says as he presents her the sword.

Nyssa's eyes light up as she takes the sword from Giovanni. She smiles as she unsheathes it. She watches it glisten in the low torchlight. She hears a few whispers from the captured souls then sheathes it immediately.

"You've done well, Giovanni. Now for your next task," she says as she pulls an old piece of paper from her pocket.

Giovanni looks at it then looks at Sara for a moment.

"You are not to tell her anything about this one. Do you understand?"

"Of course. But Ra's, this may prove to be difficult to retrieve."

"You're a sorcerer. Figure it out."

"Giovanni quickly glances back at Sara with disdain then vanishes once more."

Nyssa turns back to Sara. "Would you like to witness my ascension? I was going to wait until Giovanni gathered the rest of my things for me, but I am simply giddy," she says as she gestures to Soultaker.

"Ascension?"

"Ascension to purity. I will be pure darkness. Void of any emotion."

"That's impossible. You're going to kill yourself and the rest of your soul will be trapped in that sword. The thing that will drive your body will not be you."

"You're right. It will be a god."

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door.

_"Enter."_

Shiva enters. _"Ra's, the chest_ _plate_ _is_ _here_ _."_

Nyssa smiles. _"Today has proven to be full of good news. Thank you, Shiva."_

Shiva notices the sword. _"Ra's, is that Soultaker?"_

_"Indeed. Prepare the ritual. This sword shall pierce my heart within the hour."_

_"Yes, Ra's,"_ Shiva says as she exits the room.

Nyssa turns back to Sara who has a single tear running down her cheek.

"Nyssa, please don't kill yourself," Sara says with a cracked voice. "I don't know what I'd do without you..."

"You have managed without me for years. Stop your lies. Whether or not you like it, you will see me emerge. And when I gaze upon you with my new eyes, I shall feel nothing for you. I will be free from your shackles at last, and I will wield the power of a god."

"So that's why you've kept me alive. You want to see if it works."

"Yes. Killing you now would not rid you from my heart. Killing you after will only ensure that I have truly ascended," Nyssa says as she strokes Sara's hair.

Just then, a white time portal opens behind Nyssa.

Sara's heart sinks as she sees Ava come through. Ava locks eyes with Sara and sees that she is chained up.

"Sara!" Ava shouts.

Nyssa turns around and swiftly unsheathes Soultaker.

"Ava, run!" Sara screams.

Ava points her gun at Nyssa and shoots multiple shots into Nyssa's chest as she charges at Ava. The bullets have no effect.

Sara struggles in her shackles as she watches Nyssa overpower Ava.

The two fight for a moment, but Nyssa's bloodlust takes over and she slides Soultaker through Ava's neck like butter.

"No! Ava!" Sara screams at the top of her lungs.

Ava's body falls to the ground and her head rolls a few feet away.

Sara continues to struggle as she starts to cry. Nyssa smiles at the sword as she watches the blood drip off of it onto the ground.

Sara stares into the dead eyes of Ava's decapitated head and feels her body going into shock. She starts seeing flashbacks of Ava in her mind as she becomes frozen and speechless.

Nyssa starts to hear Ava's voice through the sword.

"You are Sara's love?" Nyssa asks the sword. "And here she was spouting lies about her undying love for me," Nyssa says.

Nyssa turns to Sara. "I knew you were lying, Sara. I knew that it was impossible for someone like you to be without a lover all this time," she says as she looks at Ava's head.

Sara is still unmoving.

"What's wrong, Ta-er al-Sahfer? Haven't you been surrounded by death long enough to be immune to it's effects? Your sister, then your father. Why is it now that you quiver like a weakling?"

"Ava..." Sara mutters.

"Now you know what I felt when you died. It's awful, isn't it? Love is weakness, as I've always said."

Nyssa listens to Ava speak to her. Nyssa smiles as she listens to Ava's rage. "Ava, there's no need to use such colorful language."

Sara clenches her jaw. "Don't talk to her."

"Why not? Can't two of your ex-lovers get aquatinted?"

"I was talking to Ava. Can she hear me?"

"No. But I'll pass on the message," she says as she sheathes the sword.

"Are you going to use Soultaker to kill me?"

"Now why would I trap you with your lover in a sword for eternity? That would be far to nice. No, I have plans for you, don't you worry."

"Can I at least say goodbye to her?"

Nyssa takes this opportunity to torture Sara. Not physically, but mentally.

"I will let you say goodbye to your love, or I will let Mr. Harper and Ms. Queen go. Your choice."

Sara lets another tear escape her eye. "Screw you."

"Make a choice now or I won't do either."

Sara desperately wants to talk to Ava one last time, but Roy and Thea need her help.

"How do I know if you let them free or not?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Not anymore."

"Fine. I will release them before you die and you can watch as they leave. So what is your choice?"

Sara closes her eyes. Her heart is tearing apart. As much as she wants to be selfish and talk to Ava, the hero in her shines through as she finally has an answer.

"Let Roy and Thea go," she says with her voice cracking.

Nyssa smiles menacingly as she walks to the door. "I'll leave her body here so you can at least say goodbye to her corpse," she says as she opens the door and leaves.

Sara closes her eyes to avoid looking at Ava's decapitated head and she cries softly to herself in the dark room, waiting for death.


	10. The Ritual

Nyssa sits in her throne with Soultaker in her hand. Shiva enters.

_"Your ascension ritual is ready, Ra's."_

_"Wonderful. And what of my chest plate?"_

_"It is ready for you at the Pit."_

_"Perfect. I shall fetch Ta-er al-Sahfer. She will be witnessing my ascension."_

_"Please, Ra's, allow me to fetch her. You should prepare for what is to come."_

Nyssa stands.  _"You will not tell me what I should do."_

_"Yes, Ra's. I apologize,"_ Shiva says as she bows.

_"Go wait with the others. I will be there soon."_

_"Yes, Ra's,"_ Shiva says as she bows again and leaves.

**_~Meanwhile on the Waverider~_ **

Nora, Zatanna and John are reading through spell books and grimoires, trying to find a way to get trough Giovanni's magic.

John and Zatanna finish their books at the same time and reach for the same book. Their hands touch briefly, sending a shock through John's body. Zatanna pulls away.

"What the bloody hell was that?" John says as he looks at his hand.

Zatanna picks up the book. "Probably nothing. A magic surge or something."

"That was weird. I never felt anything like that before."

"How many powerful sorceresses have you touched before?"

John thinks for a second and smiles as he thinks about a wild night he had with a sexy witch. "Well, I don't believe I've been in contact with someone quite as powerful as you."

Zatanna clears her throat. "Exactly. Magic surge."

John looks at his hand again then looks at Zatanna who is deep in her book, avoiding his stare. "Now, Zatanna. Is there somethin you're not telling me?"

Zatanna levitates a book and sets it in front of John. "Can you just read please? No offense, but now is not the time to get distracted."

John stares at his hand again and decides to give up on the topic for now. He opens another book and starts reading.

Suddenly, a time portal opens and Gary walks through.

"Guys, I'm worried. Ava isn't answering me. I wonder if it's because I said her hair looked good. Usually I say it looks great. Maybe I offended her or something! I looked for her at her house and she wasn't there. Maybe she and Sara are somewhere...together," Gary says as he makes his fingers scissor each other.

Mick walks up to him and slaps his hands. "Sara is out on a mission. Anyway, it would be more like this," Mick says as he wiggles his tongue in between two of his fingers.

Charlie walks up to Mick and slaps his hands. "Oy, you gits need to stop that. This is serious business," she says as she looks back at the others.

She leans in closer to Mick and Gary. "I think there's more thrusting involved, because I heard them once and it was—"

Nate steps in. "Guys, look. Sara's in trouble, alright, we need to figure out a way to get to her...wait, Gary, does your time courier connect to other couriers?"

"Yep! Oh, duh. I should just portal to Ava's courier. Thanks, Nate," he says as he turns a dial on his courier. He opens a portal, walks through, and the portal closes behind him.

He sees Sara chained to the wall.

"Sara!" He says as he starts to run to her.

He trips. He looks at what he tripped on and realizes it's Ava's decapitated head. He freaks out and scrambles back away from the corpse.

Sara opens her eyes from the noise and sees Gary next to her.

"Gary? What are doing here? Get out of here before Nyssa comes back and kills you."

Gary's eyes are locked on Ava's head.

Sara raises her voice a little. "Gary, you gotta get out of here!"

"What...happened?"

"Nyssa al Ghul brainwashed by cursed water happened. She'll be back any minute to take me to a crazy ritual. You gotta get out."

Gary weeps as he slowly approaches Ava's corpse. He grabs her time courier and brings it to Sara. He sticks it in her pocket.

"I'll bring back reinforcements," Gary says as he opens a portal back to the Waverider.

Gary returns to the Waverider and drops to his knees and cries.

"What the hell, Gary?" Nate says.

"Ava is dead."

"What!?"

"I saw her head...and then her body was...and then Sara was chained..."

"You saw Sara?"

Gary nods as he goes into a fetal position.

"Guys, Ava must've went in after Sara alone and got...look that means we can all use the courier to get to her," Ray says.

John stands up. "Then we need a game plan."

**_~Meanwhile in Sara's cell~_ **

Nyssa enters and injects Sara with a mild sedative so Nyssa can transport her without a fuss. Nyssa unchains Sara and carries her in her arms.

Sara is barely conscious, but is able to see a little here and there.

"Nyssa, please," Sara mumbles as she reaches out to Nyssa's face.

Nyssa ignores her and says nothing.

"Do you rememberrrr...how you carried me when we first met? Not just on the island, but even after, you did when my leg was broke. You're so strong," Sara mutters with a bit of a slur to her speech.

Nyssa still ignores her.

"I was such a lil baby wasn't I? I didn't even have any abs back then! Oh, but you did. You have amazin abs."

"You sure like to talk when you're drugged," Nyssa responds without looking down at Sara.

"I'm not drugged. Yer drugged. Really bad drug. Drug made you mean, but I forgive you," Sara says as she wraps her arms around the back of a Nyssa's neck. She pulls herself up so that she nuzzles up to Nyssa's neck.

Nyssa clenches her jaw.

"I love you," Sara whispers in Nyssa's ear. "I love Ava, too. Drug killed her no no no no," she continues to mutter.

"How did Ava find us?"

"Ava is great. She was made in the futureeeee."

"Made?"

"She doesn't like to talk about it, but I think it's cool. She is a fancy clone lady but don't say anythin shhhhhhh."

"A clone? You really are drugged up. I swear I gave you the correct dosage."

"Nu nu nu, I know et sounds spooky crazy but es true."

"Fine. But how did she appear in the room without magic?"

"Magiccccc. Oooooh John and Zatanna they go skaldjdbejakab and then powww."

"Sara. Listen. How did Ava appear behind me?"

"She just turn a dial then go beep beep boop. Easy peezy."

"I'm assuming it's some sort of technology. It matters not. I'm ascending within minutes."

"Don't ascend. Descend babyyy into my—"

"Silence! I've had enough of you."

"Thas not what you said in bed. You wer leik 'o pliz my love more, more, more' and I happily give."

Nyssa enters the room where the ritual is set up. She sits Sara in front of the Pit.

"Keep her pinned there and do not take your eyes off her," Nyssa instructs some of her initiates. 

Nyssa is presented with a shiny chest plate by two members.

_"I wish to test it before I ascend."_

They fasten it around her torso. Nyssa feels the connection with the chest plate. More power surges through her body.

The chest plate was crafted specifically for her out of Nth metal so she would be granted special abilities such as flight, strength and magic deflection.

Nyssa levitates off the ground. She instantly understands how to use it. She does a little spin and returns to the ground.

_"Excellent. Where's my sword?"_

_"It is next to the Pit for when you ascend, Ra's."_

_"Perfect. Take this chest plate off and let us do what is meant to be done."_

The initiates take it off and Nyssa walks to the edge of the Pit and turns around. Shiva approaches and bows in front of Nyssa.

_"Lady Shiva, As our deal entails, you will keep Soultaker after you kill me with it. Unsheathe."_

Shiva unsheathes Soultaker.

_"Approach me and point the blade at my heart."_

Shiva does this and waits for Nyssa's command.

_"On my mark, you will impale, then you will wait for my death to push me in.."_

_"Yes, Ra's."_

_"You may impale, Shiva."_

As the blade breaks through her skin, Nyssa feels a strange sensation as her life is drained. She feels no pain, but the remainder of her soul fights to stay within the body. What was left of her soul is no match for Soultaker. As Nyssa let's out her last breath and her heart beats it's last beat, the last fragment of her soul is ripped from her body and imprisoned within the sword.

Shiva feels the rush of Soultaker absorbing a soul. She pushes Nyssa's body into the Pit and awaits for her body to rise out of its bubbling waters.


	11. Ascension

Shiva grips Soultaker and slowly inches back. Nyssa warned her what could happen when she is resurrected. Nyssa might target Shiva because she is the one who killed her.

Nyssa had theorized that because Soultaker removes the soul, then it would perhaps remove any bloodlust towards the murderer after resurrection. Nyssa believes that urge to kill the killer is connected to the soul.

Shiva still is cautious and is ready if Nyssa comes for her.

Out of the bubbling waters Nyssa finally emerges. She stands with the water touching her waist. The initiates kneel as she rises and raises her head to gaze upon them. Nyssa pauses for a moment as the water drips down her head and torso.

Shiva locks eyes with her and the chilling stare that she receives from Nyssa sends shivers down her spine.

 _"Ra's?"_ Shiva mutters.

Nyssa steps out of the Pit and gestures to the initiates who have her chest plate. They swiftly attach the chest plate to her and return to kneeling.

Nyssa walks over to the sheathed sword that lays next to the Pit.

 _"Alas, I am free of the light. Now I am pure. The sword will except me as pure and I will wield the power of the Sword of Beowulf!"_ Nyssa says as she lifts the sword.

The scabbard is a grayish humanoid arm that grips the sword until one worthy enough to wield it says the incantation. She grips the hilt and says the incantation.

"Abannan afol Beowulf."

The hand of the scabbard releases the sword as it sends power through Nyssa's body. Nyssa rips the sword from the decrepit arm as it glows ferociously with yellow beams of light.

Nyssa has never felt such power before. Combining the sword's power with the Lazarus water and the Nth Metal has made Nyssa more powerful than she could have ever imagined.

As the sword pulsates energy through her, she approaches Sara, who is starting to get over the drugs.

Nyssa stares into Sara's eyes for a moment then steps back.

"I already knew that it worked since I am wielding the sword, but it's a comfort to know that now I'm truly void of my soul. Now it is time to test the sword's power on you, Miss Lance," Nyssa says as she powers up the sword.

Suddenly, a time portal opens under Sara and she falls in along with the initiates that were holding her down. They all come crashing down from the ceiling of the Waverider onto the floor.

"Tup esoht nem ot peels," Zatanna chants. The initiates fall asleep before they can even react to what had happened.

Charlie steps back. "I can't believe that worked. We almost lost ya there, Captain."

Sara looks around and rubs her eyes. "I'm home now?"

"Yeah, mate."

Constantine nudges Zatanna. "You mind sobering her up for us? She still seems a bit groggy."

"Sure. Umm. Sgurd ni reh ekat on tceffe," she says.

Sara snaps out of it. "Oh my god," Sara says as she starts to hyperventilate. "Ava...we gotta go back. We gotta get her back. Gideon, plot a..."

Constantine hugs her unexpectedly.

"It's gonna be okay, luv."

Sara pushes him away. "We gotta get Ava back. I don't care how. Time travel, the Pit, I don't care."

"Are you even sure that that bloody Pit would even work on Ava, her bein a clone and all?"

"Soultaker has her soul. It'd be easier to just go back in time and..."

"And do what? You can't go back and interfere with time, Sara. You know that better than any of us."

"What the hell am I supposed to do then, John? I'm not giving up on her."

Suddenly, Giovanni appears next to Sara.

"Giovanni, what are you doing here?"

Zatanna runs up to him and hugs him. He is rigid, but hugs back.

"Dad? What's wrong?"

Giovanni sighs. "I'm sorry."

Giovanni uses magic to retrieve Gary's time courier and then disappears.

"Dammit, Zatanna," John yells. "You know your dad is working with the Demon's Head. You can't let your love for him cloud your judgement."

"His magic is better than mine. I couldn't beat him or block him out even if I tried, so it wouldn't have mattered anyway."

Sara clenches her jaw. "She has a time courier now. She has the ability to teleport and time travel. She has a powerful sword, Lazarus water in her veins, a chest plate that can make her fly, no soul, a time courier, and some other item that Giovanni is getting for her. Guys, this is bad. She could kill thousands of people."

"With a time courier, she could show up here at any moment," Gary says weakly.

"She doesn't know how to work it. When I met her, she had never even touched a computer before. Out of all the skills she has, technology is her weakness."

"Let me blast her," Mick waves his gun around.

Charlie slaps the gun down. "Haven't you been listening? That little toy ain't gonna do anything to her. By the looks of it, we're gonna need a nuke."

"We aren't killing her," Sara says.

Constantine pulls Sara aside. "Sara, she killed your love. She has more power than any of us can counter. You said it yourself that she could kill thousands of people. We have to kill her, luv."

Sara shakes his hand off her shoulder. "We aren't killing her. I don't even think killing her is possible at this point."

"Well, what do you propose we do then?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you better know quick."

 

**~Meanwhile at the stronghold~**

Nyssa holds the time courier in her hand. "How does it work?"

Giovanni bows slightly. "I'm afraid I do not know. I apologize."

"No matter. Go and continue your search for the cloak."

"As you wish," Giovanni says as he disappears.

Shiva slowly approaches Nyssa. "How do you feel, Ra's?"

"If you refer to bloodlust, I feel nothing, as I predicted."

"That is good news."

"Indeed. I admit I had my worries. I have seen Ta-er al-Sahfer come out of the Pit as a rabid monster. But my theories were correct. The Pit had no more soul to take from me. It had nothing left to corrupt."

"You are wonderful."

"I do not wish to fill others with wonder. I wish to fill others with fear."

"Yes, of course. So, what is your plan now?"

"When Giovanni returns with the Witching Cloak and I figure out how to use this technology, there will only be one thing left for my ensemble."

"You've told me of that contraption. The one that you assigned that odd man to make for you. What do you call it?"

"I have been inspired by many villains and heroes. That contraption is a tribute to the one who broke the bat. I will call it the 'Bane Tank.'"

"And this tank will administer Lazarus water to your body constantly?"

"Yes. The Lazarus Pit and I have a special bond now. The water is a part of me. I am Lady Lazarus."

"A reference to Plath?"

"I have risen from my ashes, and I will eat men like air."


End file.
